Portland Avenue Grading – El Paso TX
Among the Works Progress Administration (WPA) projects identified as completed in an El Paso Times article from June 7, 1936 was the “grading of Portland Avenue, $14,225.79.”
Public Utilities – Middletown DE
Sanitary sewer, municipal waterworks, and power grid construction projects were all undertaken in Middletown, Delaware during the Great Depression, enabled by federal Public Works Administration (PWA) funds. Work began in 1937. (PWA Docket No. DE W1021, X1031)
Pueblo West Sewage Disposal Plant – Pueblo West CO
"The city of Pueblo formerly discharge its sewage into the Arkansas River, which greatly endangered the health of many communities in Colorado and Kansas and which depended upon this river for their water supply. The State board of health required… read more
Purdue University – West Lafayette IN
Multiple New Deal agencies: the Public Works Administration (P.W.A.), Federal Emergency Relief Administration (F.E.R.A.), Works Progress Administration (W.P.A.), and National Youth Administration (N.Y.A.) left an indelible imprint on Purdue University with many notable construction and improvement projects. Robert Topping: [Purdue University… read more
Putnam Disposal Plant – Putnam CT
The Works Progress Administration (WPA) built a disposal plant in Putnam CT, circa 1936-1937. The WPA-built facilities included the control house and plant filter beds.
Queen Street Sewer Line – Frederiksted, St. Croix, VI
The Works Progress Administration installed a new sewer line on Queen Street in Frederiksted.
Red Banks Drainage District -Marshall and DeSoto Counties MS
The Reconstruction Finance Corporation provided 22 loans to drainage districts in Mississippi in 1934, totaling $2,726,150. The Red Banks district received $26,000. From the Coldwater River, Byhalia Creek, Red Banks Creek, and a canal 11 miles long ran through the… read more
Reno Avenue Culvert – Harrah OK
The Works Progress Administration built a culvert on Reno Ave in Harrah, in 1941. Contributor note: “This culvert handles water run-off frm the drainage ditch on the north side of Reno Avenue. The water runs through the culvert north-south under Reno… read more
Richard, Seymour, and Thomas Street Storm Sewers – West Hartford CT
Multiple municipal improvement projects were conducted in West Hartford in 1937-8 utilizing Works Progress Administration (W.P.A.) labor. One such project involved storm sewer construction along the adjacent Richard St., Seymour St., and Thomas St.
Ripon Infrastructure – Ripon CA
"During the depression years, the W.P.A. put in curbs and gutters in the city and built an additional industrial sewer line. Extensive plantings of watermelons and a variety of truck crops were followed shortly by vineyards and orchards. Today, the… read more
Rito Seco Creek Culvert – San Luis CO
“Consisting of two 18-foot spans, the steel multiplate arch culvert is faced with local volcanic fieldstone. Constructed in 1936, the culvert remains intact as a good example of one of the smaller bridges built by the Works Progress Administration during… read more
River Des Peres Flood Control – St. Louis MO
The River Des Peres runs through St. Louis and forms the backbone of the sanitary and stormwater systems of the city. In the 1930s, the river was channelized by the United States Army Corps of Engineers, Horner & Shifrin, and… read more
River Street Ramp Retaining Wall – Bethlehem PA
CWA retaining wall project at the River Street ramp of the Hill-to-Hill Bridge was approved in 1933 and construction began in January 1934. In addition to the retaining wall, the roadway was rebuilt “to provide proper drainage” (Projects, 1935, p…. read more
Riverview Park Development – Pittsburgh PA
“In 1941, WPA workers built the visitors’ center, a fountain and stone entrance walls at Riverview Park on the North Side, a project spearheaded by Griswold. Out-of-work Pittsburghers also made drainage repairs, paved roads and improved entrances in Riverview Park,… read more
Road and Culvert Development – Pinedale WY
During its brief life in the winter of 1933-34, the Civil Works Administration (CWA) hired unemployed workers to improve the streets of Pinedale, Wyoming, with drainage works and gravel surfaces. According to Michael Cassity (2012) the work included: “streets of… read more
Rock Creek and Piney Branch Trunk Sewers – Washington DC
To help alleviate pollution in Rock Creek, the Public Works Administration (PWA) granted approximately $3,500,000 for the creation of a massive new sewer system serving Crestwood, Petworth and surrounding areas in 1939-1941. The trunk sewer lines were constructed by private… read more
Rural Sanitation Project – Tekamah NE
This project, sponsored by the PWA, was intended to provide work and to improve the sanitary condition of farms homes in terms of toilet facilities. Men were put to work throughout [Burt] county building “bungalows” which were later moved onto… read more
Rush Creek Culvert – Rush Springs OK
This culvert was constructed by the Federal Works Progress Administration (WPA) in 1938. It is located on the east side of town, on Blakeley Avenue (east of the tracks). this culvert flows north/south and carries run-off from Rush Creek. The… read more
Saint Albans Sewage Disposal Plant – Saint Albans VT
The Public Works Administration funded the construction of the sewage disposal plant in Saint Albans. The work involved building the main structure and the settling tanks. Docket No. 4744-(Vt.). The exact location of this facility is unknown to the Living… read more
Salt Water Supply System – Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas VI
“$50,000 water supply project at Charlotte Amalie… for utilization of salt water… for sanitation and for fire-protection purposes… Water is pumped from the sea into a new concrete tank 250 feet above the town… two new power pumps with a… read more
San Diego Sewage Disposal Plant – San Diego CA
The WPA worked extensively with the City of San Diego to build this sewage disposal plant. Structures built included an emergency sludge storage and detritor building, a pump house and sludge drying building, and three flocculator-clarifiers.
San Francisco State University Storm Drain – San Francisco CA
The New Deal was involved in storm drain construction near then San Francisco State College.
Sanitary and Storm Sewers – Massena NY
The federal Works Progress Administration (WPA) constructed sanitary and storm sewers in Massena, New York, including a 765-foot-long, 12-inch storm sewer along Water Street.
Sanitary Outhouses – Parkersburg WV
Sponsored by the US public health service, the Works Progress Administration built 1,097 sanitary outhouses in Wood County.
Sanitary Privies – Tallahatchie County MS
The Works Progress Administration approved a statewide sanitation program for Mississippi in 1935, totaling $390,115.40. The program focused on eliminating typhoid, hookworm and dysentery in 65 of Mississippi’s 82 counties by construction of sanitary toilets (privies) for homes and buildings… read more
Sanitary Privies/Outhouses (demolished) – Cottonwood AZ
From 1933 to 1938, the Civil Works Administration (CWA), Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA) and Works Progress Administration (WPA) – in short, the work relief agencies of the New Deal – built over a thousand “sanitary privies”, or outhouses, around… read more
Sanitary Sewer – Barnesville WV
The Works Progress Administration built sanitary sewers in Barnesville, Marion County.
Sanitary Sewer – Morgantown WV
The Works Progress Administration built a sanitary sewer system in Morgantown, Monongalia County, in 1936.
Sanitary Sewer – Sudan TX
A sanitary sewer construction project in Sudan, Texas was undertaken in 1937-8 with Public Works Administration (P.W.A.) funds. The P.W.A. provided a $10,763 grant for the project, whose total cost was $24,222. P.W.A. Docket No. TX [X]1466
Sanitary Sewers – Bellefonte PA
A sanitary sewer construction project in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania was undertaken during the Great Depression with the aid of federal Public Works Administration (PWA) funds. The PWA supplied a $55,800 grant for the project, whose total cost was $121,391. Work occurred between… read more
Sanitary Sewers – Brainard NE
A sanitary sewer construction project in Brainard, Nebraska was undertaken with the assistance of federal Public Works Administration (PWA) funds. Construction occurred between May and July 1934. PWA Docket No. 726
Sanitary Sewers – Callaway NE
A sanitary sewer construction project in Callaway, Nebraska was undertaken with the assistance of federal Public Works Administration (PWA) funds. PWA Docket No. 5223
Sanitary Sewers – Columbus NE
A sanitary sewer construction project in Columbus, Nebraska was undertaken with the assistance of federal Public Works Administration (PWA) funds. Construction occurred between July and November 1935. PWA Docket No. 1039
Sanitary Sewers – Cushing OK
A sanitary sewer construction project was undertaken in Cushing, Oklahoma during the Great Depression with the assistance of a federal Public Work Administration (PWA) grant. Construction occurred between 1938 and 1939. PWA Docket No. OK [X]1368.
Sanitary Sewers – Dover DE
A sanitary sewer construction project was undertaken in Dover, Delaware during the Great Depression with the assistance of federal Public Works Administration (PWA) funds. (PWA Docket No. DE W1023)
Sanitary Sewers – Elmsford NY
A large sanitary sewer construction project in Elmsford, New York was undertaken with the aid of federal Public Works Administration (PWA) funds. The PWA supplied a $230,000 loan and $76,896 grant; the total cost of the project was $282,355. Work… read more